Facebook has had a long-standing rule that the images contained in your Facebook Ads should have less than 20 percent text in them. Much to the frustration of advertisers, ads were routinely rejected as a result of this long-standing rule. To help advertisers overcome this obstacle, Facebook had created a tool in which advertisers could upload their image to see if it would pass the 20 percent text rule. Recently, that tool has disappeared, and users are being redirected to another page.

Here’s what we know.

The When

Advertisers began noticing recently that their ads which would normally be rejected as a result of this rule had been getting approved. Others found that the text overlay tool had been removed. Some advertisers had reportedly even received direct communication from Facebook in regard to this change.

While Facebook has not directly confronted this issue or the questions surrounding it, they’ve already made changes to their website. The text overlay tool page is redirecting to this one: https://www.facebook.com/business/help/980593475366490?id=1240182842783684

Facebook’s language has changed from a “do not do this” writing style to say “your ad may perform better if…”.

According to information received by social media expert Matt Navarra, Facebook has said:

“…we will no longer penalize ads with higher amounts of image text in auctions and delivery.”

So, advertisers take solace in the fact that their ads will no longer be rejected if they exceed the 20 percent text rule. However, it is still advisable that to achieve optimal results advertisers continue to reduce the amount of text with images as they generally perform better.

Facebook Removes 20% Text Overlay Tool

A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away (well, maybe not that long OR that far) advertisers had no way of knowing whether their images would be in violation of the 20 percent text rule until the ad was rejected. Eventually, Facebook would go on to release the text overlay tool, a tool where advertisers could upload their image to find out whether the image was in compliance.

As referenced in our book, The Beginner’s Guide to Facebook Advertising, there were certain exceptions to this rule, such as:

• Book Covers
• Infographics
• Event Posters
• Legal Disclaimers
• Cartoons/Comics
• Etc.

Facebook’s position was initially one of total rejection if ads had more than 20 percent text. Why? Because the overall user experience of ads containing more than 20 percent of text was much lower and being a platform that wants to keep their users coming back for more, who can blame them for the rule. Over time, the rule would soften slightly in which ads with more than 20 percent of text would be allowed to run on a limited basis. This means fewer impressions, amongst other metrics.

Experts in Social Media Marketing

Pendragon Consulting’s founder, Jessica Ainsworth, is also the author of Amazon Bestseller The Beginner’s Guide to Facebook Advertising: How to Create Effective Ads, Generate Leads and Increase Your ROI. Your business deserves the best, an agency well-versed in all things social media.

Pendragon Consulting is comprised of a team of experts that can help take your social media marketing to the next level at an affordable price. Our solutions are 100 percent tailored to your goals and the needs of your company. Get in touch today and let’s have a conversation. Send us a secure message via our website or email us at hello@pendragoncostg.wpenginepowered.com.